I know I've been MIA. I have not been feeling well since I returned from the east. I've been achy and exhausted. I thought I had a touch of the flu...that is what it felt like!!! I know that it would be very odd in August but that is really how I felt!

My kids arrive at SFO tonight (1 am!) and I am going to try to eat clean and work out this week because I was simply dragging last week (not hitting 10s). Still hanging in there.

Hope everyone is well!!!

Susan

__________________Success is laying a foundation with bricks thrown by others."

I've got a free day hangover, too. Carbs, mainly---bread and cereal. I don't want to look at another grain of shredded wheat until next Sunday!

Think I'm gonna switch from hack squats. I still can't get the hang of them.

Does anyone have any strength exercises for inner thighs? I'm not sure which part of the lower body exercises I would have to replace with them, but I am thinking about doing plia's with a barbell. Didn't find any on planetkc., but am looking forward to Arnold's book when the library gets it in. Mrs. J-Do you know if there are any in his book??

I've been reading the posts from the past few days and getting caught up.
Susanje~~~Welcome back. We missed ya. I hope that you are feeling better soon.

Jennifer~~~Well, today's the big day, gal. Good luck!
Before I first started BFL I played around with the dumbbells and machines to see how much weight to begin with. Everybody is different and we all have our weak body areas. I started with 5 and 10# DB (didn't have any 8# at the time) for the first few weeks. Then I joined the YMCA and began to combine free weights and machines into my routine.
As you begin, you will learn what you can lift and still maintain good form. If you can't get through the entire set then go back down to the next closest weight and try to complete the set .

about completing this challenge. I'm in the middle of week 12 and have really started to see results.
Last weekend at work, several people commented on how good I looked or that I looked like I lost weight. When I told one person that I really had not lost any weight in the last few weeks he said "Then you must be working out and toning up because you look great."
That's when it hit me that although the scale hasn't moved in weeks, I am losing body fat and gaining muscle.

My concern is, now that I am beginning to SEE results I'm nervous about taking the free week off of exercising. I just don't want to lose what I have accomplished. I know how crummy I feel the day after free day and the thought of a whole week off really scares me.
Since I don't have alot of exercise in my everyday life (ie. bike,skates,sports) what would be the harm in doing some moderate cardio 3 times that week
~~~Sil

Shelley - about the only muscles Arnold's book DOESN'T have exercises for are the ones in your toes! I had to bring the library copy back but expecting mine to arrive any day now (Half.com ships via media mail and that can be a slow crawl sometimes - esp when a book weighs as much as Arnold's.) However, here's a link to an article called "Inner Thigh Lies" that you may find interesting:

OK, now I am getting worried. I've heard more than one of you mention that you are getting toward the end of your first challenge and that you have seen no weight loss, I assume because you are replacing fat with muscle. Well, I have continued to go to my WW weighins for these first 2 weeks and I have lost 5 pounds in those 2 weeks. I thought that was a good thing, but maybe I am not replacing my fat with muscle like I should be. Or maybe it is just due to the fact that I have quite a bit of weight to lose (50+ pounds). I guess it makes sense my weight is going to go down because there is no way I am going to put on 50 pounds of muscle (nor would I want to! ) Anyway, I just kinda wanted to hear from the rest of you to see if you think it is normal to lose 5 pounds in 2 weeks on BFL.

If you do BFL correctly you will see results - some people see them sooner than others...like Hussman says "You really do change from the inside out".

During the first half of my first challenge, I was still weighing myself every Sunday and making myself crazy because the scale would go up and down so much...after around week 6 (I think) I just said, "To HE** with the scale" because despite the fact that I only lost, like maybe 6 or 8 pounds during C1 (I didn't weigh myself before starting) I could tell (especially after viewing my photos and taking measurements) that I had lost a lot of bodyfat and built up a lot of muscle - and I looked GOOD!!

On BFL, everyone's results are different. You can't expect to have the same results as someone else because we are all genetically different. There was an interesting show on Discovery Channel yesterday called "Bodybuilding" where they brought up this very issue about different results for different bodies.

And don't forget...Pam B weighs 145 and is a SIZE 4...do you think that when she's walking in the mall, people think she could lose some weight? I think not! That scale number doesn't mean diddly squat if you're doing BFL and seeing results on the "pant-o-meter"!!!

...by all means, do some moderate cardio - but stay out of the gym! You really need that break from the gym routine - both for your body and your mind.

Wouldn't Free Week be a perfect time to start an activity that you've been wanting to try? Try renting a bike or some rollerblades - take some horseback riding lessons (my passion right now other than BFL) - or just treat yourself to a pair of walking shoes and go for a good walk. The weather is so perfect right now (oops, unless you live in Florida - just talked to my brother-in-law last night - he lives in Panama City Beach and they are getting hit HARD by storms) that it's almost a shame to waste a day inside the gym!

Look at it this way - you may love your job (I love MY job!) but you still need a vacation once in awhile to get away from it. When you come back, you'll feel reenergized and ready to start again!

C1W1D1
Hi Everyone!
It's my first day. I have to say that the UBWO was a bit harder than I expected. This pretty much the furst time that I had ever done weight training before. I'm more of a cardio person so I will find the cardio tomorrow a lot easier.
The eating part has gone pretty good so far. I started eating a little late today because it is a holiday here in Ontario but besides that everything is great so far.
I can tell that my arms are going to be a little sore tomorrow.
Thanks for the support.
Talk to you later
Jennifer

Hi everyone - just wanted to post my results. I was down another four and half inches in this four week period -and up two pounds. So my total results after 8 weeks on the program down 10 inches and down four pounds.

Like I said in an earlier post I can really tell a difference. I am getting firmer and I love it. I am really looking forward to pushing myself these last four weeks to be stronger.

I've been reading some of the posts here and although the program interests me, I'm confused as to what kinds of foods you are all eating?

Mrs. Jim, you mentioned on your website that you cut out cold cereal and bread... did you cut them out altogether or just cut down on them? I've lost over 60 pounds in the past year and a half and now I'm at a stands-still. I have only 11 more pounds to lose. I don't want to cut out my usual breakfast of Kashi cereal and bran toast, so I'm just wondering if you or anyone else on here can give me a sample menu of what you eat during the day??? I'd like to compare that to what I'm eating.

Decided to re-start my challenge today. I've a better idea of how the program works (I'm no stranger to weight-training, but new to BFL) and just didn't have the components working too smoothly.

Also have been having a whopping problem with fluid retention. This has nothing to do with BFL; I'm allergic to shellfish and have been taking medication that is derived from shellfish. So -- drinking more water than usual hoping for the big flush

Check Page 83 of the Body for Life book...there is a list of authorized foods...cold cereal isn't on there (oatmeal is though). Bread is 'reluctantly' authorized (Bill P's words) in order to allow his favorite lunch (grilled chicken sandwich) on BFL.

Each one of your BFL meals should consist of 1 protein and 1 carb serving (measured with palm/fist method for the most part). Cereal and milk are two carbs...(yeah, I know milk has protein but actually it is mostly carbs from the lactose). Generally in the AM I'll have **two** breakfasts - first one an hour after my workout is a Myoplex Lite - then an hour or two later I have cottage cheese and fruit (usually cut melon).

If you haven't already done so, I would really recommend picking up a copy of the Body for Life book and reading it. It's an easy read and should answer most of your questions - I'd also check out the Hussman site for more scientific detail on exactly HOW the BFL program works.

When you mention Kashi do you mean the cold (processed) Kashi or the cooked Kashi? I believe that cooked Kashi is the same as, say, brown rice - minimally processed. On the other hand, For Good Friends and Go Lean/Go Lean Crunch would be way too processed IMO. Again, remember that skim milk is a carb so you would have to keep that in mind when choosing cereal.

I find that I do much better all around by avoiding processed carbs as much as possible - except on Free Day (which is really one of the BEST things about BFL - a day where you can eat whatever it is you crave during the week).

Bill P also recommends in his book mixing cottage cheese and fat-free yogurt together for a quick meal. I've done that in the past but always seem to go back to the cottage cheese and fruit!

Mrs. Jim-Thanks for the link. I still want to try the plie squats, though!

Blastit-WOW! Great results!! I wish mine were as good as yours!

Devoted-I only eat cereal on my free day. Yesterday I loaded up on my favorite-Shredded Wheat. I like the Kashi too, but I cut it out completely when I started BFL. It has way too many carbs. I eat oatmeal in the mornings with 5 egg whites and 1 whole egg. My 2nd meal is normally a Myoplex lite drink. This is a meal replacement drink that many of us on BFL use. It comes in a vast varity of yummy flavors. For meal 3, I usually have something like green beans, a fruit, and some tuna or chicken. Meals 4 and 5 are about the same as the above 3. My 6th meal is normally 1 cup of cottage cheese with either a fruit mixed in it, or 1/2 cup of dry oatmeal along with cinnamon and sweetner.

Debbie-Like Mrs. J says, don't pay any attention to the scale. Too bad I can't practice what I preach!!! Seriously, don't worry. Everyone is different. For me, I just have a harder time losing since I only have a few pounds to lose. The only time I really lose weight easily is when I'm have a flare up of my ulcerative colitis. Other than that, I am a very slow loser. I really feel as though I am gaining muscle, and this week I have decided to make large increases in my weights.

Had to come back and edit this. Someone over at L&S asked about plie squats, and I got my answer there!